The Truth About Olive Oil

UsedToBeHusky

Is it okay to fry stuff in olive oil as long as the temperature does not get too high? I was googling smoke points of oils and found this site...

http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/collectedinfo/oilsmokepoints.htm


I am assuming all oils have their own smoke point...we just need to make sure we dont cook that specific oil past that point. Right?

It won't hurt you if you do. It just basically gets rid of the nutrients so you don't get those when you eat it.

But basically, yes.

What freaked me out was that i came across a site and even found it on here something about the oil producing or turning into a carcinogenic which causes cancer....

I also read that olive oil is full of anti-oxidants. :huh:

jayrudq

Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=56

This exactly. Thank you.

magerum

Basically that is true. Olive oil is great for salads and dipping and some cooking. But at a high heat it goes to GMO, much like canola oil. You can use it in smoothies and shakes and things like that. Spray it on popcorn. It's a good oil. But only up to 375 degrees. I generally cook with coconut oil.

HuH? :huh:

Alix68

Yeah I think it only matters if you want to cook at a high temperature, and I've heard chefs say that it doesn't burn hot enough to seal meat. Now me, I use it all the time, I live in Spain, it's cheap and I'm sure it's better for 90% of your needs. Remember that you should use extra virgin oil for salads and putting on bread (if you eat bread), and normal olive oil for frying.
About the bread thing - as far as I'm concerned margarine isn't fit for human consumption. It's simply the most disgusting thing ever invented. Butter is nice but very fattening. Olive oil goes well on a fresh baguette with a tiny pinch of salt if you want.
Personally I hardly ever fry things at a high temperature anyway. I've just bought one of those halogen ovens which cooks everything so fantastically I haven't fried anything since! Still, everyone here uses olive oil all the time and most people are pretty healthy.
The whole Mediterranean diet thing, otherwise, is a bit of a myth. In bars and restaurants, of course, you get traditional food, but if you look at what people put in their shopping trolleys you'll see that they just eat exactly the same old rubbish as people all over the world eat, except for the oil, so there must be something in it.

BlueBombers

Olive oil has a lower smoke point. I've always heard you should combine it with a regular vegetable oil if you want to cook with it.

chadraeder3

As others said olive oil has a low smoke point, the way I use oil is Extra virgin olive oil is for eating raw like on salad, with noodles not cooking or very limited low heat cooking. Regular pressed olive oil is for low to medium heat cooking like green beans other vegies but not for frying. If I fry I will use another oil like Peanut oil.

The reason for these suggestions are that Extra virgin olive oil is expensive and cooking can make it not taste that great. Regular olive oil is pressed and does not cost as much as EVOO and can take higher temps without compromising the taste. You can fry with olive oil but with lower costs oils that hold up better to heat why would you, it is just using the right tool for the job, for example you can use a butter knife to screw in a flat head screw which could be fine in a pinch but if you are building a house you would want to get a real screwdriver for the job.

Skrib69

Basically that is true. Olive oil is great for salads and dipping and some cooking. But at a high heat it goes to GMO, much like canola oil. You can use it in smoothies and shakes and things like that. Spray it on popcorn. It's a good oil. But only up to 375 degrees. I generally cook with coconut oil.

GMO???? What are you refering to??? The only GMO I know of in food is Genetically Modified Organism, and that certainly doesn't apply to heating olive oil!?!?!